Apparatus for charging billets and the like



Jan. 5, 1943. J. H. Loux APPARATUS FOR CHARGING BILLETS AND THE LIKE :s sheets-sheet 1 Filed May 27, 1939 3mm :roHN H. Loux Jan. 5, 1943. J. H. Loux APPARATUS FOR CHARGING BILLETS AND THE LllK-E 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 27, 1939 Syvum/vbo@ J'OHN H.

LOUX

Jan. 5, 1943. J. H. LoUX vAPPAR'lU-S FOR CHARGING BILLETS AND THE LIKE Fil ed May 27, 1959 objects onto a conveying means. of the invention is particularly applicable for the a ward an inlet to `Patented `Ian. 5f, 1943.

John H. Loux, Salem, Ohio, assgnor to Salem Engineering Company, Salem, Ohio, a

ship

proprietor- Application May 27, 193s, serial No. 276,194 9 claims. (ci. 214-18) spherical shapes, for example, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for loading such The apparatus purpose of charging `billets, balls and other roundedv metallic objects into a heating or annealing furnaceor other apparatus utilized in the particular production process involved and the invention will be specifically described in such connection although it should be readilyy under.

stood that the generic apparatus involved is applicable to other specific uses.

A primary object of the present invention is the provision of apparatus, which may be entirely automatic in its operation, for the purpose of distributing rounded objects coming from a common source onto a multiplicity of conveying apparatus 4 in an orderly and regulated manner, whereby the proper functioning of said conveying means is not interfered with.

A more specic object of the invention is the provision of!v an improved apparatus for loading rounded metal objects, such as billets and balls, onto the parallel conveying troughs of a pusher type heating or annealing furnace whereby such loading may be automatically and expeditiously accomplished, thus'insuring maximum efficiency l in the operation of the furnace.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of an improved apparatus for loading rounded metal objects, such as -billets and balls. onto the conveying troughs of a pusher type heating and annealing furnaceor other equipment utilizing a pusher typev of feed which will automatically insure the full and completeloading of t such conveying troughs whereby a positive material moving action will be effected by each actuation of the material pushing means. A broader aspect of the invention seeks to simplify the operation of such furnaces or other equipment and, accordingly, a further object of the invention is the simplification of such'operation.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an improved apparatus for selectively directing a plurality of round billets rolling toa heating furnace or other equipment onto conveying troughs extending from pushing mechanisms outside of said furnace into said furnace land along which the billets will be4 moved longitudinally in accordance witha preierred practice.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideruutilized in the apparatus;

ation ofthe drawings and the following-detailed I specication wherein the invention is specically described asv beingy applied for the purpose of charging round metal billets and metal balls into a heating and annealing-furnace, respectively.l

In the drawings: v y

-Figure 1 is a plan view of a billet charging apparatus constructed according to the principles of my invention, the apparatus being shown in connection with a billet vheating furnace:

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the furnace of Figure 1; Y

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional View of a portion of the apparatus of Figure 1,v the view being taken along the line IlI-III 4of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken along the line IV-IV of Figure land including a schematic showing of certain control instrumentalities Figure 5 is a plan view apparatus which is especially useful in feeding grinding balls and similar objects to an annealing furnace;

of Figure 5; and

l0 designates a heating furnace which may be VFigure 6 is a side view of they feeding apparatus of the kind commonly employed to uniformly in tube production processes and for other pur- ;posesand in accordance with vestablished practice the furnace maybe provided with a plurality of spaced parallel V- haped troughs Il along which the billets travel axially through the furnace, The troughs H extend outwardly of the charging end of the furnace and each is'provided with a pusher-I2 operated by a cylinder I3 for the purpose of slidably moving the lines of billets in the troughs through the furnace. The stroke of each pusher l2 is of sulcient length to enable a billet to be accommodated in 'the end Aof a trough between the pusher and the last billet of the line in the trough upon completion of an inward and outwardv cycle of 'movement 'of the pusher. The primary function of the apparatus now to be specifically described is to convey the billets into the troughs adjacent the pushers upon the completion of their respective cyclic movements so that the troughs will always be filed.

The ,above is accomplished, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, by

of a modiiedform of I heat metal billets preparatory 'to their utilizationr .providing an inclined tame Il dbwn which the billets are adapted to roll, the ltable being -provided with a plurality of spaced parallel; slits I5 each provided with a swinging trap door I5 which automatically closes as a billet falls through the particular slit associated with the Vdoorin order that the next succeeding billet rolling down the table may pass over the particular slit so closed.

Referring to Figure 1 oi the drawings, there is lprovideda lug chain conveyor I1 for moving the ter falls through the slit to move` the door to source of hydraulic iiuid under pressure connectedby means of a conduit 45 to a combined solenoid and pressure operated valve 4I of which there is one Afor each cylinder. Valve 4I is connectedwith the ends of the cylinder I3 by conduits 42 and 43, respectively, and its'operation is such thatlwhen solenoid 45 is energized valve stem 44 is moved to the right,v as viewed in Figure 4, and fluid pressure is admitted to conduit 42 moving the plunger I2 inwardly. Inward movement of pusher I2 continues until the end of the stroke vis reached causing a high pressure to be built up in conduit 42. Valve 4I is provided with means responsive to the pressure in conduit 42 and as this pressure reaches a predetermined set minimumvalve stem 44 is moved y inwardly by the pressure responsive device to conclosedpositicn.V Arm is light in weight as compa-'red with the door proper and when the doorv is opened to a position shown in Figure 3, which represents a rotational movement of the door through slightly more than 90, the door will remain in open biased position. AA stop 21 limits the opening rotational movement of the door and it should bev obvious from an'inspection of Figure 3 that the door itself when in open position forms a barrier against further rolling movement of the billets along the table I4.

Meshin'g with each of the Vbevel gears 25 is a large bevel gear 23 provided with ratchet teeth 23 for engagement by the dog 30. Dog 3l is carried by. an arm 3i pivotally moimted on the' shaft mountlngthe gear 25 and'is adapted to be rocked to and fro as the pusher I2 traverses its cyclic path of movement. Upon inward movement of v the pusherv and the consequent rotation of arm 3| in a counter-clockwise direction dog 3l simply ratchets over the teeth 23 and the gear 25 ,re--

mains at rest. However, as the pusher I2 returns to its initial starting position, a rear shoulder 32 of the pusher will engage the arm 3I and move the arm 3| through a limited clockwise rotation. As arm 3I moves clockwise dog 3l will engage the teeth 29 and move gears 23, 25 and shaft 24 to rotate the door carried by shaft 24 to open position. It should be observed, as shown in Figure 3,- that an outwardly 'extending portion vof each of the V-troughs II is positioned directly underneath one of the slits I5 and that a particunect conduit 40. with conduit 43 to reverse the flow of uid to cylinder I3, thereby moving the pusher back to its initial starting position. The parts remain in this position until solenoidA 45 is again energized. Solenoid 45 is adapted to be momentarily energized through circuit 41 including a 'current source 45 and a manually operable switch 48. The Voperation of thepusher control is such that a momentary closing of switch 43 results in an inward and outward stroke of the -pusher I2, Assuming that a billet has been deposited-on the trough-II ahead of the pusher I2, actuation of the pusher will move this particular billet into the furnace Il and will move all ofthe billets ahead o'f this particular billet lying in the trough a distance equal to'A the length of the particular billetdeposlted. Obviously, when the furnace is illled, 'the charging of a cold billet at the entering end thereof will result in the discharge of a billetfrom the leaving end thereof. Such discharged billet may roll down a sloping hearth r 52 (Figure l) and onto a conveyor 53 for conlar pusher I2 is operated only after a billet has been deposited onto the trough through the slit associated with the pusher and at this time the door is closed.

The billets,

having 'a billet engaging plunger 31. The latter is provided with an inclined upper' end 33 and it should be apparent from Figure 3 that as the plunger 31 is lifted. a billet'will lbe raised and l vindicated by* reference numeral 35, are movedone at a time from magazine I! .onto the inclined table I4 by a lift cylinder 35 gages an open door I5 whereupon it will fall through the slit associatedV with the open door into the trough therebelow. As it does so it will close the door in the manner indicated above.-

In accordance with usual practice,' means may be provided to control the operation'of the pusher operating cylinders individually and, by way of example, I have schematically illustrated such means. This may consist of a suitable veyance to a piercing mill or other apparatus which may be used to work on the billet.

It is. 4of course, possible to effect operation of the particular apparatus described by controlling 4lift cylinders 35 manually but, as it is more desirable to provide for automatic operation of the billet supplying means, I propose to operate the cylinders 35 in connection with the operation-of the pusher I2 so that a billet will be positioned on' the table I4 immediately after the completion of a'pushing cycle by any of the pushers I2. This is accomplished by controlling the flow of fluid under pressure, preferably air, from conduit 45.

to cylinder 35 bya valve 5I operated by solenoid 53 through the valve stem 52.. A conduit 5I connects valve with cylinder 35 and the valve is provided with a discharge outlet 52. The operation of valve 5I) is such that when solenoid 53 is energized fluid under pressure will be admitted to cylinder 36 to move plunger 31 to upper position, thereby lifting a billet over the stop 2|, and when solenoid 53 is deenergized conduit 4I is closed off Vand conduit 52 connected .with the cylinder-35. Solenoid 53 is controlled through circuit 55 including a switch 55-51 and-current source 54.

Contact 56 of the switch referred to immediately above is fixed while contact 51 thereof is carrled by the pivotally mounted arm 53 and normally biased to open `position by the tension spring 59. lThe lower end of arm 58 is provided with a resilient extension 60 for engagement by the pusher head I2. As the pusher I2'moves inwadlysrm 58 is rotated in a 'counterclockwise direction whereby the switch contacts are kept open, but as the pusher moves back toward its storting position the shoulder sz thereof will engage the resilient extension 68 rotating arm 68 acorn-1s clockwise and making contact between thepoints 86-51. This contact will be held so long as pusher I2 engages the .extension 68 and will be of suicient duration to insure the full-upward stroke of the plunger 31. As the pusher I2 leaves the extension 68, spring 59 will break contact 56--51, thereby deenergizing solenoid 53. Y

lIt should be noted that the operation of the apparatus described immediately above is such that the cylinder 36 is operated to boost one billet over the stop 2| whenever any-'of the doors I6 are moved to open position, this resulting from the fact that the pusher I2, through arm 3|, gears'.

, 25, 28 and shaft 24, moves the door i6 to'open position as it approaches its initial starting position. A switch 56-68 is provided for each of the pushers and are connected in parallel with the solenoid 63 so that closure of any one of the` switches will result inenergization of the solenoid. It is also possible to provide for complete automatic operation of the furnace and, if this is desired, the switches 48 may be actuated by time controlled or other condition responsive means. j

The embodimentv of the invention shown in Figures 5 through 8 illustrates the manner in which the principles of the invention may be employed to feed grinding balls orother spherical objects to an annealing'furnace or other apparatus. The annealing furnace 18 is provided with inclined troughs 1 down which'the balls, indicated'by 12, are adapted to roll by gravity, suitable means, not shown, being employed to control the rate of movement through the furnace. After the balls leave the furnace they are carried away by a suitable track 13.l For illustration purposes but four of the troughs 1| areshown but it should be obvious that any number of these might be employed in the particular apparatus with which'the invention'is associated.

As in the embodiment first described, the invention has to do with the Vfeeding of the objects intc the troughs and this is accomplished in the instant apparatus by providing an inclined feeding trough 14 provided with an aperture 15 above each of the troughs 1|. Apertures 16vare each provided with a hinged door 16 opening against a stop 11 and provided with an arm "adapted to be engaged by a ballas it dropsthrough the aperture to .move the door to closed position. Referring .now more particularly to Figures 6 through 8, each' of the doorsV 16 is carried by a shaft 88 extending outwardly from either side of trough 14. An arm 8| is keyed to an end of veach shaft 88 along one side of the feedtrough 14 and the ends of the 1arms are positioned between parallel bars 83 of ka door resetting mechanism now to be described. Evenly spaced along these bars are,

-the transverse spanning bolts 84 each carrying a roller 85 positioned between the bars. The bars,

4bolts and rollers are thus assembled into a unitary structure which is arranged for longitudinal movement by a cylinder 86 connected with one end of the structure. l By referring to Figure 6, it will be noted that as the doors 16 are moved "'to closed positions their attached arms 8| will move counterclockwisaas viewed in thegure;

doors 16 that may have been closed to an open position. l l I Doors 16 are retained Vin open position primarily by gravity but it has been found desirable in certain installations to-.provide, in addition,v spring biasing means to aid in maintaining the doors in open position and this-is accomplished,` in accordance with the present invention, by keying arms 88 to the ends of shafts 89 opposite the arms 8l. Arms 88 are pivotally connected at their outer ends by the pins 89 with the curved members ,98 extending about theshafts 88 andprovided at their other ends with pivot pins 9|.

`A rod 92 passing `through an apertured lug 93 of pin 89, passes slightly below the axis of rotation of the shaft 88 and, therefore, as the shaft 88 begins yits rotation initiating the closing move- 'ment of the door, a slight additional compression of the spring 94 will take place while the line referred to above is approaching the axisof the shaft 88. After this line passes the axis, spring '49 will accelerate the closing movement ofthe door thus providing in effect an over-center deviceto aid in keeping the doorin open position and to accelerate movement of the door to closed position after initial movement of the door toward closed position has been initiated by other means.

A switch 91 is so positioned that -the arm 18 of the last or lowermost'door 16' ofthe series will engage and operate it as the last or lowermost door is closed. Switch 91 controls the operation of cylinder 86 through a valve 98 which operates in the same manner as does the valve 4| described above. pressure supplying conduit 98. with cylinder 86 through conduits |8| and |82, respectively. Stem |83 of valve 88 is adapted to be moved by solenoid |84 which is energized and controlled by circuit |85, including a current source'and the switch 91. The operation of the control for cylinder 86 is such that, when switch 91 is closed by the arm 18 of the last doorL 16, the piston in cylinder 86 will traverselits stroke to the left and then its stroke to the right, as viewed in l'ffigure 6,-and will remain at restlat the end of its right stroke until switch 91 is again energized, when the cycle will be repeated. As the piston moves to the left lthe rollers will open all the doors inthe marmer explained above. Thevoperation of the embodiment described immediately above is as follows: The balls 'or other objects will come into the trough 14one by one from a quenching machine or other apparatus and, assuming all the doors 16 to be open, theflrst ball to reach the Vilrst'door will lbe stopped by the barrier` created by the door It shouldA now be apparent that l have pro- I' Valve 98 connects a iiuid Y enhanced. Moreover,

vided an improved apparatus which fully accomplishes the objects initially set out. The invention provides an inexpensive apparatus for handling round billets, balls and other round objects which may be applied in connection with, and to feed such objects to, furnaces and other equipment and the eillciency of operation of such furnaces or other equipment will be materially the use of the invention enables the objects to be charged in a. fully automatic manner, thus enabling the rate of production of any process utilizing such objects to be materially increased.

The above specifically described embodiments of my invention should be taken as illustrative only, as obviously many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. For example, in the embodiment illustrated bv Figures 5 through 8, it would, of course, be apparent that a stop and lifting mechanism, as shown at 2l and 3$31, respectively, in Figure 3 of the iirst embodiment described, may be employed in the trough 14 forward of the door 16 to control the movement of the balls towards the doors, if this were considered necessary or desirable. Also, in such a construction the cylinder 3i could be periodically actuated in synchronism with the desired speed of movement of the balls 12 through the annealing furnace or other apparatus with which the feeding mechanism mightv be associated. It should also be clearly understood that various operating and control devices, well known in the control arts, could be substituted, without alter-A ing the iinal results, for the means specically disclosed herein for the control of the operation of the pushers i2 and the plunger 31. Also, the control and operation of the resetting mechanism employed in the embodiment illustrated* by Figures 5 through 9 may be accomplished by the substitution of a pilot valve for the switch 91 or by the substitution of various other instrumentalities well understood in the arts.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for heat treating round metal objects comprising in combination a heating furnace, a plurality of spaced troughs extending from outside of to within said furnace and in which the objects are adapted to be moved into the furnace, means to load said objects onto the outer projecting end portions of said troughs comprising an inclined support along which said objects are adapted to roll, a plurality of openings in said support spaced longitudinally along the same and being of suflicient dimensions to allow said objects to drop through said support, a trap door for each of said openings hingedly mounted in each opening at the end thereof' opposite the end first engaged by said'objects as the latter advance, means limiting the outward pivotal movement of said doors whereby saidl doors serve as barriers to the further advance of said objects as the latter move along said inclined support, an arm connected with each of said doors and adapted to be engaged by said objects as the latter drop through said openings, said arm being operative to rotate said doors to closed positions as said objects fall through said openings, and means to simultaneously move all of said doors to open positions.

2. Apparatus for heat-treating round metal objects comprising in combination a heating furnace, a plurality of spaced troughs extending from outside of to within said furnace and in which the objects are adapted to be moved into therethrough, said objects upon said openings being positioned between` saidthe furnace, means to load said objects onto the. outer projecting end portions of said troughs comprising an inclined support along which said objects are adapted to roll, a. plurality of openings in said support spaced longitudinally along the same and being of suicient dimensions to allow said objects to drop through said support, a trap door for each of said openings hngedly mounted in each opening at the end thereof opposite the end first engaged by said objects as the latter advance, means limiting the outward pivotal movement of said doors whereby said doors serve as barriers to the further ad- Vance of said objects as the latter move along said inclined support,. an arm connected with each of said doors and adapted to be engaged by said objects as the latter drop through said openings, said arm being operative to rotate said doors to closed positions as said objects fall through said openings, a pusher associated with each trough and adapted to push the objects falling thereon along the trough, and means operable after actuation of each pusher to move the door associated with said pusher to open position.

3. In combination with a pusher type heating furnace having a plurality of spaced parallel.

troughs extending from outside towithin said furnace and a pusher associated with each of said troughs, a charging device therefor comprising a support extending transversely and above the outwardly projecting ends of said troughs, an opening in said support above each of said troughs, a spanning device associated with each ofsaid openings and operative to span the openings as the objects to be charged fall falling through pusher andsaid furnace, each of said pushers operating inwardly to move the objects inthe trough associated with the pusher through the furnace, means responsive to the outward movement of said pushers to render said spanning devices inoperative, and means responsive to -the outward movement of each of said pushers to feed another object to said support.

4. Apparatus for heat treating round metal objects comprising in combination a heating furnace, a plurality of spaced troughs extending from outside of to within said furnace and in which the objects are adapted to be moved into the furnace. means to load said troughs outwardly of said furnace comprising an inclined support extending transversely above said troughs adjacent their outer ends and along which said objects are adapted to roll, an opening in said support above each of said troughs to allow the objects to fall into said troughs, an element associated with each of said openings and movable from an open to a closed spanning position and vice versa, and means to move said elements to their closed spanning positions as said objects fall V,through the respective openings.

5. Apparatus for heat treating round metal objects comprising in combination a heating furnace, a plurality of spaced troughs extending from outside of to within said furnace and in which the objects are adapted to be moved into the furnace, means to load said objects onto the outer projecting end portions ofsaid troughs sequentially comprising a support extending transversely of and above said objects, an opening in said support above each of said troughs to allow the objects to fall into said troughs, means associated with each of said openings to limit the progression of the objects moving along said support whereby an object moving along said support will be diverted through the opening associated with the first of such means encountered, means associated with each of said openings to span said openings as the objects fall therethrough, .the arrangement being such that as any particular opening is spannedthe limiting means associated with the particular opening is withdrawn.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 further characterized by the inclusion of means to simultaneously movethe spanning means of an opening to inoperative position and the associated limiting means to operative position.

'7. Apparatus according to claim 5 further characterized by the inclusion of means to simultaneously move all said spanning means to inoperative positions and all of said limiting means to operative positions.

8. Apparatus according to claim 5 further characterized by the inclusion of means responsive to the i'all of one of said objects through the most advanced of said openings to simultaneously move all of said spanning means to inoperative positions and all of said limiting' means to operative positions.

9. Apparatus for heat treating round metal objects comprising in combination a heating furnace, a pluralityof spaced troughs extending from outside of to within said furnace and along which said objects are adapted to move, an in' clined trough extending laterally above the projecting ends of said rst mentioned troughs and along which said objects are adapted to roll, a trap door in the bottom wall of said inclined trough above each of said projecting ends, a member connected vwith and movable with each of said trap doors to form a stop for said objects when the trap doors are in unsprung position, said-members being operative to span said openings after the doors are sprung.

vJOHN H. LoUX. 

